Eurovision 2025 rehearsals Day 3: Eight semi-final two countries take the stage for their 1st rehearsal

• The Eurovision 2025 rehearsals continue to unwind with Day 3 and the first set of eight Semi-final #2 countries  taking the stage for the first time.

  Following the first semi-final 1 countries which completed their first run of rehearsals , it was time for the second semi-final 2 nations  for their own first rehearsal in Day 3. 

  Like the past few years, no media representative is permitted to view or access any individual artist rehearsals: Media representatives will not be able to view or access any individual artist rehearsals taking place between Saturday 3 May and Saturday 10 May either at the arena or in the Online Media Centre. This is to allow all artists to rehearse in private and the production to perfect each performance before it is seen in full when dress rehearsals begin on Monday 12 May.

  Unlike previous years, there will be no video footage uploaded from the first rehearsals. Excerpts from each country second rehearsals are expected to be shared on Eurovision's YouTube or other digital channels.

  The eight semi-final #2 countries to make their first rehearsal on May 5 were: 

   

  Australia: Go-Jo – Milkshake Man

  photo credit: EBU/Sarah-Louise Bennett

  Opening the rehearsal on Day 3 was Go-Jo, the creation of Australian artist Marty Zambotto. Go-Jo has lefft his mark in the artistic world been the 9th most streamed Australian artist in the world. 

  He made to Basel through an internal selection which assigned to him to represent the land down under with the song 'Milshake Man'.  Go-Jo in a very 70s-style white suit with a red-striped collar and a red cravat gives us a performance to remember. He is joined by two dancers in red and white striped dress. 

  The stage is dominated by multi explosion of colors and graphics combined with the use of neon lights. A joyful performance which will bring the audience standing on their feet to dance.

   

   

  Montenegro: Nina Žižić – Dobrodošli

  photo credit: EBU/Sarah-Louise Bennett

  Next up Montenegro with Nina Žižić , a singer and songwriter who has epxrienced the Eurovision stage in Malmö  contributing vocally to the Montenegrin dubstep spacemen Who See back  in 2013 in Malmö.

  She is bringing to Basel here power ballad song Dobrodošli,  with obvious Balkan influences and herself dresssed in a very structured white dress with an eye mask. However the going into the chorus  the white dress now has a huge white train and a circular shaped fabric structure goes around here head down to the hight of ther knees. 

  Extensive use of the spotlights focusing on Nina's interpretation in the middle of the stage. 

   

  Ireland: EMMY – Laika Party

  photo credit: EBU/Sarah-Louise Bennett

  Norwegian singer Emmy, is representing Ireland this year treating us with some 00s-style Europop with a song about Soviet dog Laika, the first dog to orbit the earth back in 1957.

  Emmy is bringing the party in St' Jakobshalle with 'Laika Party' which she delivers on stage on a shiny metal platform in the centre of the stage with her brother Erlend on keyboards at stage level in front, wearing a metallic silver shirt and his trademark star-shaped shades. She is been joined by four female dancers wearing silver trousers and black/silver vests.

   

  Latvia: Tautumeitas – Bur Man Laimi

  photo credit: EBU/Sarah-Louise Bennett

  Latvia’s Tautumeitas, an ethno-pop group consisted of six memebers and influenced by Latvian folk melodies combined with contemporary sounds, is next up for rehearsal. Their song  Bur Man Laimi translates as 'a chant for happiness'  and  delivers on stage the song in the same way we watched it in the Supernova national final.

  Their costumes have chabged form the national final– instead of the floaty dresses we saw at Supernova, Tautumeitas are all wearing matching gold catsuits with detailing that looks like branches and fins, and stunning gold headdresses that light up and change colour through the song. 

   

   

   

  Armenia: PARG – SURVIVOR photo credit: EBU/Corinne Cumming

   Pargev Vardanian, who is an Armenian indie-folk, R ’n’ B, pop and rock artist is representing Armenia this year with the song 'Survivor'. He made his way to the Eurvision stage after winning the national final of Depi Evratesil. 

  He delivers his song bringing along new elements from those in the national final. PARG’s costume – the one-shouldered armour has gone, replaced by a black vest and studded black leather trouser. The performance is different from the national final, with more darker and industrial effects than the rock/pillar formation.  
  

   

  Austria: JJ – Wasted Love

   photo credit: EBU/Corinne Cumming

    Austria’s JJ, aka Johannes Pietsch from Vienna is up next for his first reeharsal of 'Wasteed Love'. 

  The central prop is a simple boat that looks like it’s been made from packing crates, with a wooden mast and a white sail - JJ performs in the boat for the whole of the performance. Right at the end, as an overhead camera shot makes it look like the boat is being sucked into a vortex on the LED floor, a huge lighthouse appears on the main LED with all this giving a dramatic but also promising atmosphere to the staging. If you take into account the exceptional vocall skills of JJ you don 't wonder why he's one of the favorites to win this year's contest. 

   

   

  Greece: Klavdia – Asteromáta

  photo credit: EBU/Corinne Cumming

   Klavdia from Greece is bringing in Basel her 'Asteromata' which translates in more loose termis as ‘little starry-eyed one. Klavdia made it to the 2025 class after winning the national final back in January. Asteromata is a song referring to seperation and reallocation as  results of painful displacements. 

  Klavidia's team explains about the song:

  “Klavdia begins her appearance on the Eurovision stage standing on a pier. Her movement toward a rock symbolizes the fiery journey each person undertakes to the Light.

  The presence of a second person on stage, along with the movement of the set, reflects the theme of separation - the central message of the song "Asteromata".

  During her performance she uses a rock of the season as a central prop, and once Klavdia has walked along the pier in the quiet opening verse, she performs the rest of the song on top of it.

   

   

  Lithuania: Katarsis – Tavo Akys

  

  Lithuania’s Katarsis, a Lithuanian band who consist od 4 acts are  known for their unique dark alternative and punk music. Katarsis made it to Basel after winning the Lithuanian national selection. 

  The staging remains l pretty much the same as in the national final performance with the blue outfits, the bleak landscape, the exploding house and the flying rocks in the national final. However the use of bigger LED screen behind and the bigger scale graphics make the performance more impressive. 

   

   

  The rehearsals continue tomorrow with Day #4 and the second set artists from Semi-final 2 taking the stage for their first run of rehearsals. 

   

   

AUTHORS

Angelos D.
Loyal follower of the Eurovision Song Contest since 1987, I've made the competition one of the stories of my life. After attending as accredited press the event for 13 consecutive years along with the 2017-2024 JESC editions, I also enjoy the last three years sharing more Eurovision music through the Eurofans radio's project.